Dr. Joyce Statement on the Beginning of the Olympic Games

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman John Joyce M.D. (PA-13) released the following statement on the beginning of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China.

“The XXII Olympic Winter Games offer a great opportunity to show the unparalleled excellence of American athletes on the global stage.

“As the Olympics begin, however, we cannot ignore that these games are being hosted by a Chinese Communist Party that is working to erode democracy in Hong Kong and Taiwan, intimidate developing nations, and commit a genocide against the Uyghur people in Xinjiang.

“As the spotlight shines on China, we must not turn a blind eye to the ugly actions taken by this totalitarian regime.  I implore American athletes to speak up and use the Olympic spirit to stand up for those values and freedoms that make our nation great – including an individual’s right to free speech.  As Americans, we can ill afford to overlook the Chinese Communist Party’s attempts to intimidate, threaten, and silence innocent individuals.”

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